Featured Contractors

Pearl Certification: NOT using it on every job is like NOT using a tape measure!

Eric Johnson is the Director of Sales at AC by J, an air conditioning, plumbing, and heating company. For Eric, his role in Scottsdale, Arizona is “client everything,” and it shows. Typically, Eric works with homeowners to help them improve the comfort and efficiency of their home by focusing on the entire building envelope and resolving the often invisible issues that result in poor home performance.

We spoke with Eric about how Pearl helps in his interactions with clients and the value it brings to AJ by J and everyone involved with the home improvement and home sales process. For Eric, Pearl is a conduit to help people invest in their homes; Pearl also helps AC by J close leads and brings value to the company and its many clients.

Pearl Encourages People to Invest in a Key Asset: Their Home

“Pearl has been a true game changer,” Eric said. He talked about how people today, including millennials, often feel that they can’t afford to save.

“Most people’s savings account is their home. What better way to increase what they have, and have a future, is to invest in their home,” Eric said. “What really impresses me about Pearl and having a Pearl certification is that Pearl speaks to that. Pearl recognizes that the world has changed.”

Improving the efficiency of a home helps an owner reduce utility bills and save money.

Pearl gives people the confidence to make these improvements because they understand that it’s an investment in comfort and savings. “What other way can you add value and have it stamped other than having a Pearl certification,” Eric said.

Pearl Helps AC by J Close Leads

For Eric and AC by J, Pearl helps with an all-too-familiar challenge: closing leads. Eric does a thorough evaluation of a home’s systems and uses Pearl to help people get to that “a-ha” moment where they recognize the value of making improvements.

“Especially in a multiple bid situation, Pearl is that thing, it’s your ace in the hole,” Eric said.

He talks about Pearl with potential clients to help them visualize a return on investment. But Eric doesn’t immediately lead in by talking about Pearl. He listens to the homeowner and references Pearl resources to help make the invisible visible.

“That’s when you go in with Pearl. They slowly move those other bids over,” Eric said. “And then you just talk about it, you don’t sell it. You actually talk about it in a way where the homeowner understands what that means, what kind of service I have to provide them … having a third-party certification like Pearl. It’s huge.”

Value for All

Eric provides a helpful anecdote of a couple who were listing their home for sale. They approached Eric with an immediate and firm “we’re not buying anything” sentiment. The couple intended to list the house as it was.

“Before Pearl, I would have just gotten right in line with their sentiments,” Eric said. But he provided helpful information from Pearl, opened up panels to demonstrate several systems, and showed them what the home would — and could — look like from an appraiser’s perspective. “Pearl is the point.”

After he educated the couple on Pearl, they got it. They invested in two replacement systems. “That deal would not have happened without Pearl,” Eric said.

Among Elite Company

Pearl only accepts a small number of elite contractors with a record of high quality work and customer service into its Contractor Advantage network. Pearl seeks the top 5% of contractors who also want a bigger share of the market.

“We’re in such an elite group,” Eric said. “That means you have to step your game up to be here.”

“Homeowners understand that,” Eric said. “Pearl is the single most powerful thing I have to set me, AC by J apart from other contractors out there. It’s amazing.”

“Never in my career have I had anything like this, as powerful as this” Eric said. “I use Pearl on every job. Me not using Pearl on every job is like me not using my tape measure, me not using a pen.”

Pearl partners with the most respected names in energy efficiency and real estate.